China appreciates Cambodia's position on South China Sea issue

China appreciates Cambodia's position on a "dual-track" approach in resolving the South China Sea issue, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said Wednesday.

Hua Chunying made the remarks at a routine news briefing while responding to Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong's recent comments on the issue.

Hor Namhong stressed his country's position on the South China Sea issue was unchanged during talks with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry Tuesday. He said that Cambodia believes individual countries should settle disputes among themselves without the involvement of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The South China Sea issue is, in essence, a dispute over territorial and maritime delimitation issues, Hua said at the news briefing.

China insists that the settlement of the South China Sea issue should be based on the "dual-track" approach, which indicates that relevant disputes should be addressed by countries directly concerned through consultation and negotiation and that the peace and stability of South China Sea should be maintained jointly by China and ASEAN, Hua said.

"It is also the consensus of the majority of ASEAN nations," she said.

"Cambodia's position has again proved the 'dual-track' approach has been widely acknowledged, and China appreciates that," Hua added. Endi